Final Huddle: Cincinnati Rolls Over No. 14 Iowa State For Best Win in Years

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats answered the bell against a ranked opponent for the first time in the Scott Satterfield era Saturday with a 38-30 win over the No. 14 Iowa State Cyclones.

Cincinnati was 0-5 against ranked opponents since the College Football Playoff run entering this game. It marked a tale of two offensive halves, with UC exploding for 31 points and nearly 10 yards per play, only to get hamstrung by penalty in the final 30 minutes.

Brendan Sorsby (13-of-25 for 214 yards two scores and another 64 yards rushing and a score) moved the ball soundly all day and continued to take great care of the football in a rushing-powered outing (260 rush yards).

UC is now 1-2 against the Cyclones since entering the Big 12.

First Half Hammering

Cincinnati came out with its hair on fire in front of a sold-out crowd at Nippert Stadium. Sorsby was a bit shaky through the air in this game, but the run game absolutely mauled all afternoon.

UC's offensive line created wave after wave of big holes all over the formation, and it put the Cyclones in a quick blender. The Bearcats ran for 216 yards and three scores in the first half (the most on both accounts under Satterfield). Evan Pryor (10 carries 111 yards and two scores) and Tawee Walker (14 carries 89 yards) ran with an anger and force that could power UC to great offensive heights in league play.

Iowa State had issues on the backend with multiple starters out due to injury, but the front was mostly healthy, and it got punked all day. Nic Cardwell has built a buzzsaw up front, and UC used it to abuse a defense ranked sixth nationally in EPA/rush allowed so far this season.

All in all, the third-best yards per play offense in the country mowed down an ISU defense that had held each of its first four opponents under 20 points for the first time in over 40 years.

UC's only score in the second half was a historic one. Sorsby hit Caleb Goodie on an 82-yard TD catch, which is the longest pass play for UC since 2015.

Special Teams Mismatch

Cincinnati got some great impact from the forgotten phase, while Iowa State's kicker forgot to bring his leg. The Cyclones had to go for fourth downs all day long on the UC side of the field because of two injuries to their normal kickers, leaving them with a true freshman who still has never made a college field goal after going 0-1 from 35 yards.

Meanwhile, Stephen Rusnak hit his 18th consecutive field goal to continue his great run, and Max Fletcher produced his best punt of the season to pin the Cyclones inside their own one during the third quarter.

Add in two 30-plus yard kick returns by Logan Wilson, aided by the shaky boots from ISU, and you get a lot of little special teams winning breadcrumbs. Cincinnati had one of the worst special teams groups in general last season.

It's already helped them win two conference games before the leaves fall this season.

Penalties Pop

The Bearcats shot themselves in the foot a few times with penalties on Saturday as they tallied 12 penalties for 118 yards on the day. UC was right in the middle of the pack of penalty stats entering this game, but it reared its ugly head on Saturday.

It wouldn't have been close had the worst pass interference call I've seen in a long time not been called. Matthew McDoom got facemasked on the final play of the first half and was instead called for a PI that put the ball at the one for an ISU score.

It was a sloppy game from both sides, and the second half saw UC's offensive line take away a nifty trick play on third down that would've been another explosive for the offense.

Alas, UC played more than well enough to overcome the yellow all over the field, especially against a heavily-injured Cyclones team. The secondary issues helped UC run all over a solid ISU defense entering this game, and the first-half cushion never left the result in doubt.

Cincinnati can clean up the penalties this week ahead of another home Big 12 matchup with UCF this coming Saturday at noon ET.

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